Yes, overhaul budget law

At Issue: Governor’s recommendation that the budget act be amended based on performance rather than intentions.

Our View: It’s about time that the annual budget–amount per agency–is based on performance.

We agree with the recommendation of the governor that the budget law be revised to reflect performance in the delivery of public services rather than intentions. Intentions are just that–intentions. Whether they are in fact performed is yet another issue. Insisting on real performance ought to give a rude awakening to public sector employees that the days of complacency is closer to becoming history!

Indeed, most of our scarce resources are funneled to cover education, health and public safety. But even these agencies should be subjected to an explanation on whether they in fact made headway in, i.e., improving the quality of instructions, health of the general population and safety throughout the Northern Marianas Community.

The basic intent being sought by the governor ought to jolt government agencies who have gone to sleep most afternoons after a heavy meal. To add teeth to the annual budget review of agency requests, personnel or the public auditor’s office or both should be asked to perform desk audits of each and every agency.
These audits should identify whether there’s excess baggage in each agency versus scope of responsibility.

The audit ought to review employee qualifications, i.e., real skills in the use of computers to promote efficiency in office operations, thus, the timely delivery of quality public services. In major agencies, it should zero-in on top-heavy operations and recommend realistic changes to ensure that more funds are earmarked for programs that would benefit the community. The revised change in the budget ought to enable local government to accomplish a long neglected need to shift more public funds for community programs.

The recommended revision in the budget act requires local resolve and we are confident that policymakers will see to it that the proposed paradigm is given a chance in order to institute real efficiency in the delivery of quality public services. It’s time too that we begin shifting more of our hard-earned tax contributions to meet the needs of the community rather than the current exercise of limiting its expenditure on salaries of drone public sector employees. Si Yuus Maase`!